BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, echoing his boss in Washington, warned Wednesday that the amount of US support for NATO could depend on whether other countries meet their own spending commitments.
“Americans cannot care more for your children’s future security than you do,’’ Mattis said in his first speech to NATO allies since becoming defense secretary. “I owe it to you to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States, and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms.
“America will meet its responsibilities,’’ he said, but he made clear that US support had its limits.
In his speech to defense ministers, Mattis repeated a call made by previous US secretaries of defense for European allies to spend more on their militaries. His comments Wednesday provided substance to President Trump’s expressed skepticism about the alliance.
Mattis went further than his predecessors in apparently linking US contributions to the alliance to what other countries spend. “If your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to this alliance, each of your capitals needs to show support for our common defense,’’ he said.
Mattis did not say how the United States might back away from its obligations, though there are several steps the Trump administration could take short of refusing to come to the aid of an ally under attack, which would be an abrogation of its treaty responsibilities. The United States, however, could reduce the number of its troops stationed in certain European countries or raise the bar for what it considers a military attack.
The United States spends more of its gross domestic product on the military than any other NATO member — 3.61 percent, or $664 billion in 2016. NATO countries have committed to spending 2 percent of GDP on the military, but the only other countries that meet that criteria are Britain, Poland, Estonia, and Greece.
During his remarks, Mattis called for the adoption of a plan with fixed dates to make progress toward getting to 2 percent.
Trump is expected to visit NATO headquarters in May, at the alliance’s summit meeting.
Wednesday’s meeting in Brussels was a tough European debut for the Trump administration, as Mattis also sought to convince NATO allies that the United States still values the alliance despite the president’s persistent critiques.
One NATO official characterized the mood in the heavily fortified compound as tense, saying allies were waiting to see if the message Mattis presented differed in tone from what Trump has said.
In one important way, the defense secretary amplified the president’s previous statements. Though Mattis acknowledged “concern in European capitals about America’s commitment to NATO and the security of Europe,’’ he said allies must do more to reach their commitments to spend 2 percent of GDP on their military.
“No longer can the American taxpayer carry a disproportionate share of the defense of western values,’’ he said.
Mattis also struck an assertive tone on Russia, saying the 2014 annexation of Crimea dashed any hopes that NATO could have a real partnership with Russia.
“Events of 2014 were sobering,’’ he said in opening remarks made alongside the NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. He added: “As President Trump has stated, he has strong support for NATO.’’